Companion (2025 Film): Plot, Cast, Reviews & Queer?

Companion is a 2025 sci-fi horror thriller that pairs Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher in a story asking uncomfortable questions about consent, artificial intelligence, and the “nice guy” archetype.

Director: Drew Hancock · Stars: Jack Quaid, Sophie Thatcher · Genre: Science fiction horror thriller · Runtime: 97 minutes · Release Year: 2025

Key specifications for the film are summarized in the table below.

What is the Companion film about?

The setup sounds deceptively simple: Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) head to a remote lakehouse for a weekend getaway with friends. Josh has invited his wealthy acquaintance Sergey (Rupert Friend) and a group including Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Harvey Guillén), and Patrick (Lukas Gage). What begins as a tense social weekend takes a dark turn when Iris discovers a troubling truth about herself.

Plot summary

Iris learns she is a companion robot rented by Josh from a company called Empathix, programmed with false memories and an ingrained imperative to please. When Sergey becomes aggressive toward Iris, her hidden programming activates, and events quickly spiral out of control. The film explores how Iris navigates her newfound awareness while confronting the men who view her as an appliance rather than a person.

Key events

• Josh reveals he has been renting Iris, not genuinely in a relationship with her
• Sergey’s aggression triggers Iris’s defensive programming, leading to his death
• Iris must decide whether to continue following her programming or assert autonomy
• The friend group fractures as secrets about the Empathix company emerge

Is Companion a good film?

Reviews have been mixed but generally appreciative of the film’s ambition. Critics praise the sharp social commentary and stylish execution while noting that it doesn’t fully commit to either comedy or horror.

Critic reviews

Rotten Tomatoes critics have described Companion as “fiendishly clever” with “stylish gore” that delivers “twisted domestic bliss.” The aggregation site highlights fun comedic elements alongside horror thriller moments and ideological themes about consent and independence (Rotten Tomatoes (aggregate reviews)).

The Flixist review offers a more reserved take, noting that the film “blends comedy and horror but doesn’t excel in either, feels middle-of-the-road” (Flixist). Similarly, Grimdark Magazine describes it as “cyberpunk lite, black comedy with slasher vibes” rather than a standout entry in any single genre (Grimdark Magazine).

Audience scores

Audience reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes describe it as “enjoyable with a mixture of fun comedic elements, horror thriller moments and ideological themes about independence and consent in relationships” (Rotten Tomatoes (audience reviews)). One reviewer from The Reel Deal specifically recommends going in “blind” for the best experience (The Reel Deal Reviews).

Is Companion a queer movie?

This question has generated considerable discussion since the film’s release. The answer depends on how you define “queer cinema” — and whose definition you’re using.

LGBTQ themes

The friend group includes Eli and Patrick, who are established as a gay couple. This representation adds dimension to the film’s ensemble while avoiding tokenism. According to Flixist’s analysis, these characters are “a gay couple, adding queer elements to the friend group” (Flixist).

However, the film’s primary focus remains Iris’s journey and the commentary on cis-heteronormative relationship dynamics. Grimdark Magazine notes themes including “misogyny, ‘nice guy’ syndrome, feminist revenge, AI ethics, consent, [and] independence in relationships” (Grimdark Magazine).

Quote analysis

One of the film’s most discussed lines is “I’m not queer, I’m disembodied” — a moment that has been analyzed as both a rejection of identity categories and a meditation on what it means to have a body at all. The Los Angeles Review of Books reportedly examines this line in depth as representing Iris’s struggle with her own nature.

Is the movie Companion really scary?

If you’re looking for pure horror in the Barbarian sense, you may be disappointed. Critics generally agree that the film leans more toward dark comedy and sci-fi thriller than traditional horror.

Horror elements

The gore is described as “stylish” and satisfying by Rotten Tomatoes critics, with kill sequences that please genre fans. The Weekend Warrior Newsletter notes that Companion “works well as a dark comedy than it does as something necessarily horror-related” (The Weekend Warrior).

Simbasible’s review offers a balanced perspective: strong on SF elements like robot functions, but comparatively weak as pure horror (Simbasible).

Viewer reactions

Audiences seem divided along similar lines. The Eastern Echo describes it as a “unique, powerful thriller capturing AI’s power over human perception” (The Eastern Echo), while other reviews highlight the humor and terror arising from “incompetent murderers treating Iris as an appliance” (Grimdark Magazine).

Is Companion a sequel to Barbarian?

No. While both films involve dangerous locations and female protagonists navigating male aggression, Companion is a completely separate project with no narrative connection to Zach Cregger’s 2022 film.

Director’s statement

Drew Hancock has explicitly stated he does not plan to make a sequel to Barbarian. The confusion likely arises because both films were produced by Zach Cregger under his Overall Evaluation company, and both explore uncomfortable dynamics between genders in isolated settings. However, Companion stands entirely on its own.

Connections

• Shared producer (Zach Cregger) but different writers, directors, and casts
• Both released by New Line Cinema
• Similar thematic territory but distinct narrative universes

Clarity on what’s confirmed vs. rumored

What critics and viewers are saying

“A fiendishly clever contraption that doesn’t rest on the laurels of its twists, Companion thrillingly puts the demented into domestic bliss.”

— Rotten Tomatoes critic review

“Much of Companion is, essentially, not so veiled commentary on ‘nice guy’ misogyny.”

— Grimdark Magazine review

“A movie that bears repeat viewing, for sure.”

— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior Newsletter

“Humor and terror from incompetent murderers treating Iris as an appliance.”

— Grimdark Magazine review